I let out a high pitched whine, not unlike that of a kicked puppy, and slumped in my chair at the realization. I probably looked nothing more than a pouting child at the moment. But I think I earned the right to be a bit sour, because one of the things I loathed was now being a nuisance and terror to the world at large. Of all things, a cash shop item!

  And one of the really annoying ones at that!

  Because the teams that had taken over FLOW after they bought out the original development team were given objective of making money, they saw how players sometimes built camps near those temporary event dungeons to farm. But they didn't understand the reasoning, thinking that maybe it was just because they liked the aesthetic. So they had added, as an optional item, the ability to place down a dungeon anywhere in territory you claimed.

  When people caught win of this, guess what? They had abused the heck out of it and began building actual paid dungeon farms en masse, to the point where the materials market crashed from the sudden overabundance of supply. The publisher panicked when they realized how badly they had just screwed over all the very angry gatherers and, instead of removing it, changed how monsters spawned by these dungeons worked. Now they would vanish instead of leaving behind a body, screwing over the people who had bought it from the cash shop instead.

  Now facing even more angry backlash, the clueless owners had then pivoted the paid dungeon to be a PvP item. They had greatly increased the aggro range and gave you the ability to set targets to send out monster tides on the regular. The ultimate griefing tool, it had been labeled, forcing any poor builder who just wanted to built for aesthetic to at least consider defenses if they drew the attention of any such individual. Only then did people stop grumbling, the farmers able to sell off these dungeons to others for whatever nefarious purpose they had.

  I hated it. I hated it so much. All the Ten Lights had too.

  The only saving grace was that they weren't so powerful. This one probably was even weaker than most, seemingly spawning only launch day content. But given how the fortress city didn't even meet those standards, then it might as well be an unending horde of deadly monster armies that they could barely hold out against. But then...where was this empire they had talked about?

  Where was the support for these defenders?

  Surely they could at least given them the very best arms they had? Or- no, surely they had to have better weapons somewhere in this place. Hopefully, or else I'd break down even more.

  There was too much that I still didn't know. So I settled in my seat, tried so hard to ignore that increasingly loud voice of Isabella, and watched when the tide reached the walls in full.

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  Gregori forced himself to remain calm despite the shouts and cries coming out from the battlements. He had to trust his son had things in hand. He remained unmoved even when there was the sound of iron clashing, meaning something had reached the top of the walls. The duke yearned to know what, but could not abandon where he stood with the others of the quick reaction force.

  Thankfully, an injured soldier came by soon with information on what was going on. Somebody who was likely sent to be rotated out of battle, but could at least do one last duty. "There's damn goblins climbing the walls," they spat bitterly, clutching at a bloody arm. "They've summoning ropes and grapples to get up. We're being tied up."

  Meaning that the archers above couldn't fire from above to delay the advance any longer. "I see. Thank you." The noble dismissed the soldier with a simple nod and watched the walls. Sure enough, soon there was a loud thump of something smashing into the structure, causing dust to fall from the seams between the brickwork. Another, and there was a small bulge developing now.

  This was it. The bloodiest part of any tide. Gregori sucked in a deep breath and turned to the soldiers he led now. It was a complement made up entirely of veterans and other members of House Cordis like distant cousins and relatives. They were the best there was in the entirety of Gabion, likely the only force that could stop and instantly halt any breach before it spilled into the city.

  And they would likely pay a dear price for doing it until the reserves arrived to help barricade the way further.

  "Everybody," the duke solemnly began, "We will fight a tide that has not been whittled from afar. We will fight an enemy that does not know mercy. We will die to monsters today, if need be to protect the empire.

  "If you wish to excuse yourself now, I do not blame you. But I will demand an account, either in this life or the next. Because you swore an oath." The walls shuddered and the bulge deepened. He sorely hoped that his son on the walls above was hastily relocating everybody away from the impending point of collapse. "An oath that I too swore. So if you wish to join me in upholding the given word, then you know what to do. You know what to say. Give me your [Rallying Cry]!"

  Light enveloped all present and listening, who let out a roar just in time for the next hit to be the last this section of the wall could withstand. Bricks erupted outwards and bounced against raised shields or armor. None fell now, those impacted shaking off the hit with the help of the activated hit. They were the lucky ones.

  The unlucky ones were the few wall guards who had been too slow in leaping away in time and fell screaming, being buried in the rubble that collapsed on top of them.

  There wasn't time to try and rescue them. Not when the snarling ogres who smashed the walls down charged, roaring forth. It was met by the defender's formation as they lowered both shields and spears to blunt the attack. The first to reach them was too late to react in time and found itself impaled on the sharp implements that didn't break from the weight. It thrashed and its club lashed out, sending an unfortunate soldier flying, but those were only the death throes before it began to fade into dust.

  You could be reading stolen content. Head to the original site for the genuine story.

  However, Gregori and others of his line acted before it vanished completely. "[Blood Harvest]!" voices bellowed and the dripping fluids surged forth instead of disappearing. They flowed and vanished into the bodies of some vampires, letting it its qualities. But not all, for there apparently was not enough to go around.

  For those who did, now they leapt forth into the other ogres and counterattacked, each of their strikes now hitting just as hard with the strength of the harvested creature.

  The duke himself brought one down low with a roar, plunging his hand into its chest and draining even more blood. A relative tried to do the same, but was too slow. They paid for it when the club descended and reduced them to crushed remains.

  Another pays the price, like his eldest had.

  He ignored the pains in his heart and focused on the enemy before him. "Into them!" Gregori bellowed and the city guards rushed to join the melee proper.

  -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------?

  Well, looks like I just got my confirmation when those walls fell in less than ten blows. [Foundation] was either a super rare or completely unknown skill in this era, because no way that would fall as quickly if reinforced so. Great, as if that solarium wasn't enough, I absolutely was going to be skill hunted. Ah, it almost was like launch day where people didn't know how to get certain abilities and were willing to pay money to learn how.

  However, the demonstration of [Blood Harvest] confirmed for me that they had skills beyond launch day content. That had been part of the expansion centered around vampires, giving the species a much needed buff with a unique skills to make them stand out among the other choices. The one that all had was interesting too.

  [Blood Harvest] was a skill that allowed for one to borrow a portion of a creature's stats and temporarily bestow it to the user, potency affecting how effective it would be. Isabella, I recalled, had the skill and used it to rip stats from bosses to let her tank them head-on. She was such a master at it that the normal restriction of not allowing one to target creatures too powerful that oneself barely applied to her.

  For mobs like these, she wouldn't even bother and probably wipe them all out with her lance made of blood-

  Argh, I can't pretend to not remain unbothered any longer! Not when I could hear her screeching in my ear to help! That vampire knight had always loved roleplaying, more so than any other in Lighthouse, and was arguably the one most deeply invested in the lore of FLOW. She was the one who maybe believed in being a noble adventurer more than any other, to be the hero to save the day when no else would.

  If she were here, she'd be aghast too at the state of the world. Then chomping at the bit to rally the Ten Lights and bring justice where there was none. To finally bring a light to this dark era.

  But she wasn't here. Neither was Kai, Ironfist, Joan. Absent was Sveg, Eagle, Calico. Gone was the wisdom of Faust and Ann-Li.

  I wished so sorely that this world could be shielded by the might of Mikel.

  But...I wasn't him any longer.

  I was Noel now, who couldn't fight.

  What could I do? What should I do? I looked down at my visible puppet joints, hands which could only create. They could never wield a weapon or withstand a blow. They could make the weapon, but never wield it. Make the armor, but never wear it into battle without shattering.

  What...what would Noel have done?

  "And that should do it," I told my master with a smile. "Here's both your sword and shield. I trust you are satisfied?"

  "I am," the knight told, hefting both weapons with awe. "You really worked overtime, hadn't you? To get this to not just me, but everybody else in time before the Harbinger descends upon us."

  "O-oh, don't worry! It's an honor for me to help out the honored Lighthouse. I'm forever grateful to be in your service."

  "I know, but even then." Mikel stretched his hand out and lightly patted my head. "I appreciate it. Without you, I don't think Lighthouse would exist as it is. If we are the lights, then you are our foundation.

  "So, Noel, hold your head high. Like I've told Cordelia and everybody else who works with us, you're part of Lighthouse too."

  I blinked when that abrupt memory faded, thoroughly perplexed by the apparent recollection. What was that? Was that...a memory of the night before the raid, but from Noel's perspective?

  Had I ever actually had a conversation like that then as Mikel? I racked my head, but couldn't remember the exact details. I couldn't claim to remember each and every single conversation in the game, so I didn't know for sure.

  But those words, they absolutely would have been something that would have left Mikel's mouth. Because he treasured everybody in Lighthouse, player or retainer. He had been a knight who stood by the friendships he made, the one who championed Lighthouse into becoming the Ten Lights. All with gear forged by Noel, and Noel alone.

  ...The Ten Lights were gone. Nothing could change that.

  But Noel- no, I was here.

  I was a member of Lighthouse. If the lights that once illuminated the way forwards were gone, then I will simply light new ones in their place. They would want me to, so long as I was here. So long I could craft.

  So long as these hands could shape whatever they touched, I won't let this world slip further into the depths forever. I won't let Shin drown!

  Outside, Kuch and Frie twitched. Then they began to move, heading to the outer wall. I have an idea on how to get involved and break the invasion without exposing myself.

  Time for an adventure.

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